karonde ki subzi (achari) | a pickled condiment

Karoda is a very tart berry (Carissa caradas) that appears in the Indian markets in the last leg of summer and continues till late August. We had a huge bush of this berry back home and our dog use to chase the birds that used to nest in that bush. A lot of pickles, chutneys and jams used to be made using karonda in those days.

We have used these berries to practice targets and it's fruiting branches to decorate flower vases. Karonde ka murabba is a popular condiment in some homes and is used as substitute for tinned cherries to make cakes etc. I think you can still find karonde ka murabba in the markets of Banaras. We never cared for keronde ka murabba though.

This subzi is nothing but a simplified pickle which is cooked quickly and is refrigerated for a week, to be served with almost all the meals during that time. Back home there were several of such achari recipes that my dadi (grandmother) used to make. She loved such hot and sour condiments herself and used to love serving 3-4 such condiments with each meal.

In modern times such condiments are more convenient as we sometimes resort to simpler one pot meals and any such pickle in the fridge can jazz up any simple meal for sure. I am reminded of and have been craving for my dadi's stuffed green chillies that was always there in the fridge whenever she stayed with us.

I must add that I remember my dadi for so much more than just the food, but I would agree food was a very tangible connect that established so effortlessly and we tend to bring that back whenever we can. My grandmother shaped my life by default and she continues to do so even though it has been 16 years she is no more.

Whenever I cook or write about such recipes I do remember her earnestly.

Coming back to karonde ki subzi, I know it is a pain to chop such tiny berries. But once you get to chopping the beauties they don't disappoint. You could sit with them to watch TV if possible. This activity used to be a meditative exercise in older days as I understand. Women used to chit chat while chopping vegetables often and that must have been great stress buster and bonding activity.

For this kaprinde ki subzi you have to peel some garlic and chop them too. Thankfully I have a maid who helps and I just cooked this subzi in about 5 minutes. Total time that karonde ki subzi needs after chopping them is just 10 minutes, so try and get it done if you are drooling at this subzi.

This subzi is called acahri for obvious reasons. It tastes like achar but doesn't keep well like 'achar'. Another quick karonde ka achar is made in season too that lasts a bit longer but if the pickle needs to be preserved for a year it needs some preservation either with vinegar or more mustard oil and salt.

So you see you just have to flash fry the karonda, garlic and chillies along with a tadka of hing, kalonji (Nigella seeds) and turmeric chilly powder mix, and the subzi is ready.

ingredients..

quartered karonda 1 cup
quartered garlic cloves 1/2 cup
chopped green chillies 1/2 cup
mustard oil 2 tbsp
hing 1 pinch
kalonji (Nigella seeds) 2 tsp
turmeric powder 2 tsp
red chilly powder 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

procedure...

Heat the mustard oil and tip in the hing and nigella seeds. Now make a paste of turmeric and chilly powder with 2 tbsp water and pour it in the hot oil. Let this mixture sizzle for a while till the oil separates or the mixture gets shiny. Add salt to taste.

Now tip in the chopped vegetables, toss and cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Cool and transfer to a glass jar or container. Serve as required.

Do let me know when you try this karonde ki subzi. You can make similar subzi with chopped raw mangoes which was called as aam ka kuchla back home. Some people would call this karonde ki subzi too as karonde ka kuchla.

Karonde ka achar : Instant seasonal pickles..

Some seasonal herbs and vegetables or fruits have their own charm. The way they taste in season is the best and that fresh flavor cannot be replicated when they are preserved for very long. One such extremely tart fruit is Karonda (Natal plum or Carissa) that is in season right now.

Karonde ka achar is something many of my friends can't resist.

I made a yummy raw hot and sour Karonde ki chutney with it and a sweet n sour cooked one too. Then one day I was reminded of the achar my Daadi (grand mom) used to make. Those seasonal achars were made for a week or so and we all use to love them. These kind of pickles taste best when freshly made, they loose the flavors when preserved for long and taste just hot and sour. Best made into quick seasonal pickles.

I just needed a small quantity as we both don't eat much achar, and a mere 100 gm of Karonda was good enough for 2 weeks and some for the maid too. It took only about 20 minutes to make this pickle that was ready to eat instantly. Loved it immediately for my lunch that day.

The recipe is simple...you just need the following..

100 gm of Karonda halved or quartered
a dozen green chillies chopped in whatever way you like to bite into them,
about a dozen fat cloves or 2 dozen small cloves of garlic sliced lengthwise,
2 inch piece of fresh ginger root chopped into small bits
1 tsp of kalonji or nigella seeds
1 tsp saunf or fennel seeds
1 tsp ajwain or omum seeds
1 tbsp methi or fenugreek seeds
pinch of hing or asafoetida  
1 heaped tbsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp or more of red chilly powder
salt to taste
mustard oil 2 tbsp
yellow mustard powder 2 tsp

procedure...

Mix the turmeric powder and red chilly powder in about 1/4 cup of water, keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan and tip in the Nigella seeds. Wait till the Nigella seeds get aromatic, followed by the hing and the other seeds.

Now switch off the gas and slowly pour the turmeric and chilly powder solution into the hot oil. This is just to prevent burns as the water would splash up when poured into very hot oil. Turn on the gas and cook the mixture till the oil comes on top and it becomes almost like a thin slurry. Add salt.

Now add the chopped bits of everything and stir well. Cook till the oil starts bubbling again around the edges and the mixtures looks glazed. Shiny almost. You don't have to cook it completely, just for 3-4 minutes on medium flame. It should look like this picture in your pan finally.

Take off heat and let it cool a bit. Sprinkle mustard powder on it and mix well.Empty the contents in a glass jar and refrigerate for about 2 weeks.

Goes very well with all kinds of Indian food. I like to mix it in some salads as well, like a chopped mix of cucumbers, red onions and fresh coriander greens gets perked up by this pickle.

You can make pickles with any seasonal vegetables the same way.

Just parboil or blanch some florets of cauliflowers, some diced carrots and even green peas and mix with garlic and ginger etc as per your choice and proceed to cook them the same way as this. A seasonal gobi-gajar-matar ka achar is ready. For tartness you can add thin slices of lime to the cooking mixture or some lime juice after the mixture gets cooked and cooled.

This way you can enjoy Indian pickles even if you don't make them in big batches in season of raw mangoes or lemons.

Turnips, Beets, all varieties of Peppers and Bell peppers, all varieties of Beans and even Yams can be pickled the same way. What vegetable are you going to pickle now?

Karonde ka achar is great for the season right now.